Lord Ralph Mayhew (Higson) is an impoverished aristocrat in his early 30s who lives in his family mansion on an expansive country estate.
Ted (Whitehouse) is an Irish groundsman who had worked for Lord Mayhew's late mother and father before Ralph inherited the estate.
Ralph was inspired by a documentary about film director John Boorman where he struggled to converse with his Irish gamekeeper.
Whitehouse responded by standing and performing Ted's part, adopting an Irish accent in imitation of Linehan (and despite the latter's protestations).
As the show progresses the two appear to develop a closer relationship, occasionally going fishing together and sharing more personal conversations.
[3] Ted's wife had requested that Always on My Mind be played at her funeral: as the cassette player fails, Ralph sings it.
Ralph discovers at the office of his lawyer, Rowley Birkin (Whitehouse), that he must marry before the age of 35 or lose the estate, and therefore seeks a wife.
Despite Ralph's rejection, however, Ted still passionately defends him, bitterly accusing Wendy: "You've beguiled a kind, gentle, innocent, albeit slightly foolish man.
As this is a prequel, Ted's wife Esther (Kathy Burke), unseen and eventually deceased in the Fast Show timeline, also appears on screen for the first and only time.